Teach me about chokes?

[RUGER]

Ok I am not a duck hunter but I have shot a shotgun literally all my life.
I shoot a regular modified choke when I am duck hunting.
My thinking is, if they are in there right and where they are supposed to be and not sky busting, that will work fine.

In my other thread pretty much everyone said a "good" choke is more important than good shells.
I don't doubt anyone at all because as I said I am not a duck hunter.

I understand the differences in an improved, modified & full etc.
What I don't understand is this....

What is the difference in a stock modified choke and a code black or kicks modified choke?
Why are they so much better?
Hold the pattern longer? If so, why is that different than just shooting a stock full choke?

My biggest question is, will the group be so tight at say 20 yards that it will be easy to miss completely?


Thanks!

 

[Pic IN the Casa]

There are surely more educated folks on here but my take is that overall and for the money AND in most cases, probably not a lot of difference.
However, I know that for my Versa Max and my sons Stoeger, extended tubes pattern a little better. Both turkey and duck loads.
Also, an extended tube protects the end of the barrel.

As for distance shooting/chokes I'll say poor aim (which I am an expert at) and shell quality play a bigger role than the tube quality.

I never knew how far behind I was shooting until I lead a duck by 2ft and hit the bird behind it on a 20 yard crossing shot.

 

[Cache]

Holds a tighter pattern which equals more shot hitting your target. I have a kicks mod and full for different situations and I think they say you will get 20 percent more shot on target than a regular choke. No idea how much shot is in one shell but let's say you get 150 on a target at 30 yards with a regular choke. A kicks will put 30 more on that. Carlsons also makes a good choke and I think they are a bit cheaper just FYI.

As far as killing a duck at 20 yards it won't take you but a couple shots to adjust.

What kind of gun do you shoot?

 

[RUGER]

What kind of gun do you shoot?

SX3

 

[Pic IN the Casa]

https://shootingsportsman.com/making-sense-choke/

Here's a neat article about chokes.

 

[rukiddin]

Honestly there's very little difference in the majority of aftermarket choke tubes vs factory. By factory, I mean flush mounted chokes that don't extend. Some chokes such as patternmaster, have ringed or "studded" wall that will slow the wad for a fraction of second allowing the shot to come out unimpeded by the wad allowing the shot to be in a more consistent pattern and many times, a shorter shot string.
Most hunters could get the same pattern results using factory chokes as the aftermarket. The problem is comparing, for example factory mod to a aftermarket mod and expecting same results. I'd be willing to bet that whatever aftermarket choke your shooting, there is a factory choke produced for that gun that'll give you same performance at 1/3 the price. It may not be a modified in factory terms if comparing to a aftermarket modified. It may be a light mod or imp mod.
Let's be honest. Most duck hunters do it for nothing more than aesthetics to make this gun look better. I reckon if the aesthetics help your confidence, then have at it. But it's not necessarily needed.
With all that said, I have aftermarket chokes. The best ones I've found are compnchoke or muller. In shooting steel shot, I never needed them, but for some reason, compnchokes are phenominal with TSS. Why, I have no idea because I've oatterned my handloaded tss in dam near every choke made and compnchoke will beat out everything every time. I've got 12-15 compnchokes in 20, 28 and 410 and if lead or steel is in the gun, I shoot factory chokes but with tss, it's compnchokes only.

 

[UpperTully]

Honestly there's very little difference in the majority of aftermarket choke tubes vs factory. By factory, I mean flush mounted chokes that don't extend. Some chokes such as patternmaster, have ringed or "studded" wall that will slow the wad for a fraction of second allowing the shot to come out unimpeded by the wad allowing the shot to be in a more consistent pattern and many times, a shorter shot string.
Most hunters could get the same pattern results using factory chokes as the aftermarket. The problem is comparing, for example factory mod to a aftermarket mod and expecting same results. I'd be willing to bet that whatever aftermarket choke your shooting, there is a factory choke produced for that gun that'll give you same performance at 1/3 the price. It may not be a modified in factory terms if comparing to a aftermarket modified. It may be a light mod or imp mod.
Let's be honest. Most duck hunters do it for nothing more than aesthetics to make this gun look better. I reckon if the aesthetics help your confidence, then have at it. But it's not necessarily needed.
With all that said, I have aftermarket chokes. The best ones I've found are compnchoke or muller. In shooting steel shot, I never needed them, but for some reason, compnchokes are phenominal with TSS. Why, I have no idea because I've oatterned my handloaded tss in dam near every choke made and compnchoke will beat out everything every time. I've got 12-15 compnchokes in 20, 28 and 410 and if lead or steel is in the gun, I shoot factory chokes but with tss, it's compnchokes only.

I somewhat agree with this. I've often times shot better steel shot patterns from a factory choke than a aftermarket. However, I shoot aftermarkets occasionally for ducks simply because I don't see many factory chokes on shelves.

I don't get on the aftermarket choke hype for ducks. The point is to put them in the decoys, not sky blast them.

Now turkey hunting, that's a whoooooole different story. My Sumtoy .665 with Nitro T321 TSS in my M2 will absolutely throw one smoking head burning pattern at 40 yards.


As a side note. Kicks chokes label their chokes differently which causes some confusion when buying one. Their modified is comparable to a Imp Cyl diameter, a Full is comparable to a Modified diameter, Ex Full is a Full diameter.

 

[drake799]

Jebs is similar. There "improved cylinder" is the same constriction as some people's "long range". Lol

 

[UpperTully]

Jebs is similar. There "improved cylinder" is the same constriction as some people's "long range". Lol

I didn't know they were like that. Never been a fan of Jebs Chokes nor their plethora of pro staffers. There's a number of chokes on the market that can perform better than theirs for a fraction of the cost.

 

[Chaneylake]

90% of all shotgun shooters over choke and shoot to heavy/hot of a shell/load.

My main choke is a lite mod(between improved cyl. and modified)

Shells are always the lightest load that I feel will do the job.

Less than 5% of all shotgun shooters know the impact of recoil on 2nd and 3rd shot.

I never loose my "sight picture" each time I slap the trigger.

 

[BlackEagle1]

I look for a choke that gives me the most even pattern at target ranges. That has often not been factory offerings. I will agree with the fact that people often over choke on big steel. I have had great luck with the kicks high flyer chokes in modified. The full and extra full didn't have anything more to offer out to 50 yards. If I'm not mistaken the kicks mod for benelli is a .710 which should be improved modified.

I have a new beretta and to get a steel approved improved modified choke is much more expensive than anything else I have seen. So for this gun a kicks happens to be one of the cheaper options.

 

[arkwaterfowler]

I have shot the same compnchoke tube in improved cylinder for 20 years in a 1999 Benelli SBE. It loves the federal 3-inch number 3"s and I regularly stone dead kill mallards at 40 plus yards. I agree with a previous poster that most hunters over choke and shoot too hot a shell which I think is compensation for poor shooting. I base this on the fact that I used to shoot Kent 3.5 inch BB for years but backed off to the number 3 steel and it works great. I liken it to the deer hunter with a magnum that cant hit and a guy with a 243 that is deadly.

my advice is purchase a good improved cylinder or modified tube and buy five different boxes of shells and see which one patterns the best. Sporting clays are great for practice but there is something about a duck that presents odd shots that are hard to practice for.

happy hunting.